Furnace roof blocks with hangers



July 11, 1961 w. J. KIVALA ETAL FURNACE ROOF BLOCKS WITH HANGERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 27, 1960 EM INVENTORS July 11, 1961 w. J. KlVALA ETAL FURNACE ROOF BLOCKS WITH HANGERS Filed April 27, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVENTORS h AMTER J MJ/ALA AD 144 MASON 7715/? ATTORNEYS 2,991,736 FURNACE ROOF BLOCKS WITH HANGERS Walter J. Kivala, Pittsburgh, Pa., and Donald W. Mason,

Glen Burnie, Md., assign'ors to Harbison-Walker Refractories Company Filed Apr. 27, 1960, Ser. No. 25,011 7 Claims. ((11. 110-99) This invention relates to furnace roof blocks, and more particularly to those that contain their own hangers for suspending them in place.

Metal cased refractory bricks, when used in furnace roofs, are often suspended by hangers from overhead supports. Usually the hangers are relatively expensive separate castings that have to be hooked into the blocks as the roof is being formed. This requires the handling of a large number of separate'articles and the separate connection of each hanger to an individual block by the workmen hanging the roof, all of which is needlessly time consuming.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a furnace roof block which can be supplied with its own inexpensive hanger permanently mounted in place, and in which the hanger need not project from the block until the block is put in use.

In accordance with this invention a metal plate covers one side of a refractory brick and is secured to it. The plate may be part of a metal case enclosing the brick. The brick has a recess in the side that is covered by the plate, near its upper end. There is a slot in the same side of the brick, extending from its upper end down to the recess, for reception of a metal hanger tab that has a laterally projecting lower end portion adapted to project into the recess. Generally, the tab and brick are assembled by the manufacturer, so it is desirable to make the brick recess deep enough for the tab to be lowered into the brick far enough to prevent the tab from projecting therefrom until it is desirable to hang the brick.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a fragmentary face view of our furnace roof block with the hanger tab extended and part of the case broken away;

FIG. 2 is a combination plan view and horizontal section taken on the line IIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a combination side view and vertical section taken on the line III-III of FIG. 1, but showing the hanger tab in its lower or concealed position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary face view of a modification with part of the case broken away;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line VIVI of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a similar view, but showing how the tab was inserted; and

FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 are views corresponding to FIGS. 4, 6 and 7, respectively, of still another embodiment of this invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, a refractory brick 1 suitable for use in a furnace roof has at least one side face covered by a metal plate 2. In most instances this plate will form one side of a metal case surrounding the brick in a well-known manner. The side of the brick adjoining the plate just mentioned is provided near its upper end with a central recess 3, and also with a slot 4 that extends from the top of the brick down to the recess. Slidably mounted in the slot is a hanger tab 6, which is a fairly stiff strip of sheet metal that is long enough to extend from the top of the recess to a point a considerable distance above the brick. The lower end of the tab is bent into the recess to form States Patent "ice a ledge 7 for engagement with the upper wall of the recess in order to support the brick when the tab is suspended from a support, such as a hook or supporting rod (not shown) that may extend through an opening 8 in the upper portion of the tab. In view of the fact that it obviously is highly desirable that the hanger tab not project from the block during storage and shipment, recess 3 is made deep enough to permit the tab to be pushed down into the block until its upper end is more or less flush with the upper end of the brick, as shown in FIG. 3. To hold the tab in its lower or concealed position, it may be bowed lengthwise so that it will be compressed slightly between the brick and the covering plate 2 and thereby frictionally engage them. The upper end of the tab is bent over to form a lip 9, under which a screw driver or the like can be inserted to lift the tab. To facilitate this operation, the top of the brick may be provided with a notch 10 that receives the lip.

Refractory bricks of this character often are reinforced with vertical metal members, such as sheet metal strips or plates, embedded in them. One form of reinforcement is a vertical channel 12 that has a web embedded in the recessed side of the brick, and flanges that extend most of the way through the brick. When such a channel is used, the upper portion of its web is offset so that it will form the inner wall of slot 4 and be spaced from the adjacent side of the case. The portion of the web directly in front of the brick recess is also spaced from the case and is cut away to frame the recess. When the block is suspended from the hanger tab, the weight of the block will be carried mainly by the reinforcing channel instead of by the refractory material, thereby making a stronger connection.

When the blocks are to be used for the side walls of a furnace as well as for its roof, the hanger tabs 6 can be left concealed in the blocks, but to avoid wasting money for tabs that will not be used, it is preferable in such cases to make the blocks without the tabs and then insert them in only those blocks that will go into a roof. The embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 4 to 7 illustrates how this can be accomplished. The recess 15 in the side of a brick 16 that is covered by a metal plate 17 is only deep enough to receive a hook 18 integral with the lower end of a sheet metal hanger tab 19. The recessed side of the brick also is provided with a slot 21 extending from the top down to the recess for receiving the tab, which is not inserted unless the block is to be hung in a furnace roof. To insert the tab, it is simply pushed down through the slot. That can be done because its hooked lower end can be sprung toward the body of the tab, and also the metal plate 17 can be sprung outward to some extent as shown in FIG. 7. As soon as the hook reaches the recess, plate 17 will flatten out and the hook also will spring out into the recess and thereby lock the tab in place as shown in FIG. 6. The top of the brick may be provided with a notch 22 to help guide the tab hook into the upper end of the slot. If a reinforcing member 23 is embedded in the brick as previously described, its upper portion is offset inwardly and cutout beside the recess 15.

The same general idea is illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 10, but in this case the recess 25 in brick 26 is V-shape, or at least its upper wall is tapered downward. Also, if a reinforcing member 27 is used, its inwardly offset portion is provided with a V-shape slot 28 to match the shape of the recess. The lower end of the hanger tab 29 has a pair of laterally projecting ears 30 that converge downwardly to straddle and engage the tapered upper wall of the recess. This hanger tab is inserted in the same way as tab 19, by pushing it down through the brick slot 31, which will have to be wider than before.

.5 During this operation the side of the case 32 will be sprung out far enough to allow the ears to pass through the slot as shown in FIG. 10. After the tab is in place, cars 30 are held in the recess by means of a spring tongue 33 struck out of the body of the tab, as shown in FIG. 9.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, we have explained the principle of our invention and have illustrated and described what we now consider to be its best embodiment. However, we desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

We claim:

1. A furnace roof block for suspension by a metal hanger tab having a laterally projecting lower end portion, the block comprising a brick having upper and lower ends, a metal plate covering one side of the brick and secured thereto, the brick having a recess in said covered side near its upper end and having a slot in said side extending from its upper end down to the recess for reception of said hanger, the recess having a top wall for engagement by said hanger projection, and the recess and slot being covered by said plate.

2. A furnace roof block comprising a brick having upper and lower ends, a resilient metal plate covering one side of the brick and secured thereto, the plate being free from the upper portion of the brick, the brick having a recess in said covered side near its upper end and having a slot in said side extending from its upper end down to the recess, the recess and slot being covered by said plate, and a metal hanger tab slidable vertically down through said slot and being materially longer than the slot, the lower end of the tab having a laterally projecting portion for engaging the upper wall of said recess to support the brick when the upper end of the tab is suspended from a support.

3. A furnace roof block comprising a brick having upper and lower ends, a metal plate covering one side of the brick and secured thereto, the brick having a recess with a top wall in said covered side near its upper end and having a slot in said side extending from its upper end down to the recess, a metal hanger tab having a laterally projecting lower end portion projecting into said recess beneath said top wall, the recess and slot being covered by said plate, said brick being formed from a body of refractory material having a vertical metal )reinforcing member embedded therein, said member forming the side of said slot opposite said plate and being provided with an opening beside said recess receiving the lower end of said tab.

4. A furnace roof block comprising a brick having upper and lower ends, a metal plate covering one side of the brick and secured thereto, the brick having a recess in said covered side near its upper end and having a slot in said side extending from its upper end down to the recess, the recess and slot being covered by said plate, and a metal hanger tab slidable vertically down through said slot and being materially longer than the slot, the lower end portion of the tab being bent laterally and upwardly at an inclination for engaging the upper wall of said recess to support the brick when the upper end of the tab is suspended from a support, and said inclined tab portion being springable toward the body of the tab to permit the tab to be pushed down through said slot in assembling the block.

5, A furnace roof block comprising a brick having upper and lower ends, a metal plate covering one side of the brick and secured thereto, the brick having a recess in said covered side near its upper end provided with an upper wall tapered downwardly, the brick also being provided with a slot in said covered side extending from its upper end down to the recess, the recess and slot being covered by said plate, and a metal hanger tab in said slot and slidable vertically therein, the tab being materially longer than the slot, the lower end of the tab having a pair of laterally projecting downwardly converging ears for straddling and engaging said tapered upper wall of said recess to support the brick when the upper end of the tab is suspended from a support.

6. A furnace roof block comprising a brick having upper and lower ends, a metal plate covering one side of the brick and secured thereto, the brick having a recess in said covered side near its upper end and having a slot in saidside extending from its upper end down to the recess, the recess and slot being covered by said plate, and a metal hanger tab slidably mounted in said slot and being materially longer than the slot, the distance from the bottom of the recess to the top of the brick being substantially as great as the length of said tab in said slot and slidable vertically therein, the tab projecting portion for engaging the upper wall of the recess when the tab is pulled upward in said slot, whereby the tab can support the brick when the upper end of the tab is suspended from a support.

7. A furnace roof block according to claim 6, in which said tab is a strip of sheet metal bowed lengthwise to frictionally engage both the brick and said plate to hold the tab in its lower position until it is pulled upward.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,885,976 McGill et al. May 12, 1959 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No, 2,991,736 July 11 1961 Walter J. Kivala et a1.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the abovenumbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4 line 39, strike out in said slot and slidable vertically therein, the tab" and insert instead V and the lower end of the tab having a laterally Signed and sealed this 21st day of November 1961,

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents USCOMM'DC 

